Lake Wivenhoe Recreation Guide

Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 1 2 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide Visitors enjoy and experience a diverse range of recreation opportunities, while protecting the natural resources and water quality.

Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 3 Recreation review

About Lake Wivenhoe

Lake Wivenhoe is located approximately The was built on the after the 1974 flood event. The dam wall is 2.3 kilometres long, with five radial 80 kilometres north-west of Brisbane. It provides gates to release water. While its primary function is to provide great recreational facilities as well as being part safe, reliable water supply, the dam also provides flood mitigation. of the South East water grid that Lake Wivenhoe is located in close proximity to both Lake Somerset supplies the region’s drinking water. and Lake Atkinson. This cluster of lakes provide a range of recreational opportunities for visitors to enjoy.

Recreation Review

Special thanks are extended to the many people who provided input and participated in the surveys and workshops that helped us shape the new plans.

Recreation on Seqwater lakes and land must be managed in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner to ensure there In June 2013 Seqwater commenced a Recreation Management are no adverse impacts on the core role of these assets – providing Review of Lakes Somerset, Wivenhoe and Atkinson. A number a safe, secure and reliable water supply for our growing region. of changes to the use and management of Lake Wivenhoe have been` made as a result of the feedback we have received from The draft State Planning Policy (released by the Queensland the community. A copy of the feedback we received and the Government on 15 April 2013) acknowledges that there are management action we are taking can be found at opportunities to use dams and lakes for recreational uses on the www.seqwater.com.au. proviso that those activities are carefully considered so as not to affect the primary use of water storage assets. Unfortunately not all changes can be implemented straight away. A number of issues require further investigation, funding to be The protection of our natural areas has always been to enhance secured or affect all lakes and will need to wait until the conclusion the natural environment and minimise the risks to water quality. of the recreation review process. Updates on the progress of these Seqwater recognises the importance of recreation to the issues can also be found on our website. community and encourages the responsible enjoyment of our natural areas.

4 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide Locality map

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Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 5 [can we have a pull out quote Recreation review of community here...] Protecting our waterways

We all need to do our part to ensure we keep our waterways healthy. It’s not just our bushland You can help protect out waterways by areas that are threatened by weeds, it’s also our wetlands, waterways and lakes that are suffering ✓ Removing all visible mud and plants from ✓ Cleaning boats, motors, trailers, floats, as a result of the weed invasion. your equipment, boats, trailers, boots, anchors etc before leaving. If possible crab pots etc before leaving allow the equipment to dry for about five Serious aquatic weeds like Water Hyacinth, days before entering new waters Salvinia and Cabomba are very invasive and ✓ Eliminating water from all equipment out-compete local species, seriously affecting the before transporting it anywhere, as the ✓ Not releasing or putting plants, fish or local ecology and water quality. Weeds are able water may contain plant fragments or other animals into a body of water they to reproduce from even the smallest of fragments seeds did not come from. This is an important or seeds. Trying to control these weeds is time step to prevention the spread Cleaning and drying anything that came consuming and costly. of introduced species of plants and ✓ into contact with the water animals into our waterways. Enjoying our natural areas

Seqwater’s dams and lakes are part of RESPECT OBSERVE natural systems and have naturally occurring Enjoy and respect what makes our natural areas Observe the signs and follow the rules. characteristics that you need to be mindful special. Remember these areas feed our drinking Understand what you can do where, and when of. These characteristics change regularly and water supply, please: you can do it. Plan ahead and be prepared for include changing bacteria levels and water debris the outdoors. above and below water. This is very normal and • Leave the facilities as you found them. Do not an expected occurrence in any natural system. cause damage to any property, flora or fauna. You should always check the Seqwater From time to time it may be necessary for website at www.seqwater.com.au to view • Respect the fact that other visitors are using Seqwater to close areas for safety reasons. the Public Notices or Recreational Information the facilities too. Please behave in a manner before you visit any of our recreational areas. that will not cause a nuisance. APPRECIATE • Place all litter in the bins provided. BE SAFE Value the unique status of the Jinibara people as the original owners and custodians of the land • Leave your pets at home. Dogs and other Dams are part of the natural environment and domestic animals can disturb the wildlife that you need to remember to be careful with local and water around Lake Wivenhoe. live in our natural areas. fauna. You are encouraged to carry a first aid kit as mobile phone reception is limited in many areas.

6 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide Our Recreation Picnics playgrounds& There are many areas around Lake Wivenhoe Picnic Playgrounds where a picnic can be enjoyed. Whether you You can enjoy a picnic at the Looking for something to keep the want to relax and take in the natural values following locations: kids amused? that Wivenhoe offers, or be more energetic • Hamon Cove Day Use Area Playgrounds are located at: and use the picnic areas as a base for a () • Logan’s Inlet Day Use Area • Logan’s Inlet Day Use Area (Hay Road – off Brisbane Valley variety of other recreational pursuits, we (Hay Road – off Brisbane Valley Highway Fernvale) are sure that you will enjoy your stay with Highway Fernvale) • Cormorant Bay Day Use Area • Cormorant Bay Day Use Area (Brisbane Valley Highway Fernvale) everything that Lake Wivenhoe has to offer. (Brisbane Valley Highway Fernvale) • O’Shea’s Crossing Day Use Area All areas have great facilities including (Esk-Kilcoy Road Somerset) picnic tables, shelters and free BBQs. • Spillway Common (Brisbane Valley Highway) Sites are open 7 days per week from 6am – 6pm.

Domestic pets Swimming

The natural areas around Lake Wivenhoe are Need to cool down? home to an abundance of native wildlife, including There is a designated swimming providing important habitat for koalas who are listed area located at as a vulnerable species. As such it is important that we all take measures to protect these animals. Logan’s Inlet at Lake Wivenhoe. Visitors cannot bring pets and other domestic animals into catchment lands, lakes and designated recreation areas at Lake Wivenhoe.

If you would like to take your pet with you, Lake Atkinson permits pets on leashes in the Day Use recreation area, however at no time Your safety is important to us! are pets or other domestic animals permitted to enter the lakes or waterways. Please remember there are no lifeguards on duty. Ensure children are supervised at all times when swimming and please use common sense and don’t swim after drinking alcohol.

Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 7 Lookouts learning& Spillway Lookout Wivenhoe information centre The Spillway Lookout is a great way to Looking to learn more about Wivenhoe Dam and see the dam wall up close. how we supply drinking water to South East This is also the ideal spot to see the dam in action when the gates Queensland? are opened to release water. The lookout is so close that you may Come and visit the friendly staff at the Visitor Information Centre at even get wet with the water spray! Wivenhoe Dam. The Spillway Lookout is located off Brisbane Valley Highway. The Centre is off the Brisbane Valley Highway and is open 7 days per week.

Recreation Review updates

In response to feedback, restricted motorised watercraft will be permitted on the lake from 14 December 2013 as follows: • All vessels are not to exceed 6 knots. This means if your vessel is on the plane, you are going too fast! • All fuel powered vessels must only use low emission outboards/ engines; such as 4 strokes or fuel injected 2 strokes. We ask that all users observe these restrictions. Regular patrols will be undertaken. In response to feedback, Billies Bay and Hays Landing Recreation Sites will be re-opened as soon as the Hines Road Bridges are repaired by Council and funding for the infrastructure repairs have been secured. This will make available an additional boat ramp. A single boating permit scheme is being considered for all Seqwater lakes. No changes to the existing boating permit scheme will be made until the end of the recreation review process in September 2014. For further information on progress please visit our website www.seqwater.com.au.

8 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide Boats, bait Fishing Shore line fishing can be carried out along the shore of designated recreation areas as follows: • Branch Creek Day Use Area (Wivenhoe/ Somerset Road, Dundas) • Hamon Cove Day Use Area (Brisbane Valley Highway) bathers • Logan’s Inlet Day Use Area (Hay Road – off Brisbane Valley Highway, Fernvale) • Cormorant Bay Day Use Area (Brisbane Valley Highway, Fernvale) & • Lake Wivenhoe Information Centre (Brisbane Valley Highway, Fernvale) Boating is a very popular activity at Lake Fishing from a vessel is also permitted on the lake. Wivenhoe for fishermen and nature lovers. Please be courteous to our neighbours. Much of the land surrounding the lake is Restricted motorised and non-motorised private property. Accessing private land to fish is not permitted. watercraft are now both permitted on the lake. The lake is home to an abundance of wildlife. Please ensure that all rubbish, including fishing line and hooks, are discarded in bins or taken home and For your safety and to protect the riparian areas disposed of properly. There have been numerous incidents where wildlife have around the lake, boats and vessels are only to be ingested or become entangled in discarded fishing material. operated from designated launch points. Fishing permits Please remember to keep a safe distance from swimmers and A fishing permit is required at Lake Wivenhoe. paddlers – boats should stay 30 metres away. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) control the fishing Please be courteous to our neighbours. Much of the land rules and regulations in Queensland and administer the Stocked Impoundment surrounding the lake is private property. Do not launch, retrieve Permit Scheme (SIPS). or beach on land around the lakes, other than at signed, Please visit www.dpi.qld.gov.au to purchase a SIPS permit or for a list of designated recreation areas. outlets in that sell permits. All activities on Seqwater lakes are covered by the Boating Regulations set by Maritime Safety Queensland (www.msq.qld.gov.au). Water skiing Water skiing, jet skiing, wakeboarding and tubing are not permitted on Lake Wivenhoe. Boat ramps Boating permits

Ramps are open 7 days per week from 6am to 6pm. A boating permit is required for all registerable and trailable vessels. Boat ramps are located at: Boating permits are required at Lake Wivenhoe and are available from Lake Wivenhoe Information Centre, off Brisbane Valley Highway at • Hamon Cove Day Use Area (Brisbane Valley Highway) Wivenhoe Dam or by calling 07 5427 8100. They are also available locally • Logan’s Inlet Day Use Area at selected outlets: (Hay Road – off Brisbane Valley Highway Fernvale) • Lake Somerset Holiday Park • Fernvale Futures Complex In addition to the boat ramps listed above, there are paddle craft access • Grand Hotel Esk • Somerset Dam General Store points at the following locations: • Camp Somerset (Seventh Day Adventist Camp) • O’Shea’s Crossing Day Use Area (Esk-Kilcoy Road Somerset) An annual permit costs $100 ($75 if renewing) or $15 per week for periodic • Atkinson’s Crossing – Through the Spillway Common Lookout access. The money raised by the permits is used to offset the cost of (Brisbane Valley Highway Fernvale) providing and maintaining recreational facilities around the lakes.

For your safety Lake users should exercise caution when using the lake. Lake levels are subject to change and there may be Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 9 submerged obstacles. Want to escape the crowds and get back to nature? Why not unwind over a few days at Lake Wivenhoe

Rest and

relaxation10 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide Camping

There is a campground at Lake Wivenhoe catering Overnight stays on the water are not permitted. for caravans, camper trailers and tents located near Logan’s Inlet off the Brisbane Valley Highway. Please be courteous to our neighbours. Much of the land surrounding the lake is private property. The site is run by private operators. For all enquiries Camping is only permitted in designated camping and bookings please contact the campground areas. directly on 07 5426 4729.

Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 11 Tracks trails& There are currently no designated trails around Lake Wivenhoe, however the day use areas at Logan’s Inlet (Hay Road – off For your safety Brisbane Valley Highway Fernvale) and In conditions of high fire danger, tracks and other Cormorant Bay (Brisbane Valley Highway areas may be closed. Fernvale) are very large and offer visitors For your safety, follow instructions and do not enter closed areas. If you see a fire please call a lot of open space to enjoy a walk. The Emergency Services on 000. water views are a bonus!

Recreation Review update In response to feedback, trails will be opened at Wivenhoe Hill (Hay Road off Brisbane Valley Highway) once funding has been secured to establish the trails. These trails will be multi-use and cater for walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders with over 5 kilometres of trails with panoramic views. For further information on progress please visit our website www.seqwater.com.au.

12 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide Events other& activities Events Other activities Lake Wivenhoe is a great venue for outdoor events such as a The activities listed in this guide are not intended to be exhaustive. birthday party, fishing competition or wedding. If you wish to undertake an activity but aren’t sure if it’s permitted or not, please contact our Recreation team to discuss it first. If you would like to hold an event or an organised activity at Lake Wivenhoe (or any Seqwater site) you must have a permit. For safety reasons there are a few recreational activities that are Your permit will outline the conditions of use and access. strictly prohibited from being undertaken on our sites, including: An event application form can be downloaded from our website at • Hunting (of any form) www.seqwater.com.au. Please submit applications at least 4 • Taking off or landing of aircraft (including amphibious aircraft) weeks prior to your event date to allow enough time for processing. • Scuba diving/snorkelling outside of the designated swimming areas Site tours • 4WD driving and motorcross biking. Seqwater runs educational tours for primary and secondary Commercial activities schools, TAFE and universities, community groups and professional delegations across a number of sites. Seqwater’s primary objective in its management of recreation is to manage access to recreation opportunities for the public. It is Tours provide an insight into Seqwater’s operations and show the recognised that commercial operators can play a role in supporting link between catchments, storage and treatment as part of the visitor’s needs and increase the public’s enjoyment and appreciation broader water cycle. of our natural areas. For more information or to book a tour call 07 3035 5570, Where sites are used either temporarily or more permanently email [email protected], or visit our website at for commercial purposes, a commercial fee will be applied. www.seqwater.com.au. Seqwater has developed a Commercial Activities Policy which outlines the process and requirements for any commercial use of sites. Visit our website for further information at www.seqwater.com.au.

Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 13 Enjoy your stay For your safety

Dams are part of the natural environment and visitors are reminded to be careful with local fauna. Visitors Opening hours are encouraged to carry a first aid kit as mobile phone reception can be limited in some areas. Access to all Seqwater sites, including Please plan to complete your stay before 6pm when the recreation areas close. on-water access, is currently permitted Do not leave valuables unattended. When visiting between 6am – 6pm. The only exception to the recreation areas, reduce the risk of theft – ensure this is camping at a designated campground vehicles and vessels are locked or secured and all or if a permit expressly provides permission. valuables removed.

Recreation Review update A change to opening hours is being considered for all Seqwater lakes. No change to the existing opening hours will be made until the end of the recreation review process in September 2014. For further information on progress please visit our website www.seqwater.com.au.

14 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide If it’s not on show – it’s a no go!

Remember if a Seqwater sign is not on Visitor Notice show, it’s not a designated recreation area. Do not launch, retrieve, or beach on land around the lakes other than at signed, designated recreation areas.

Please respect our neighbours. Much of the land surrounding the lake is private property.

Cabomba Cabomba Flower Water Lettuce Salvinia Water Hyacinth

To download and view the full General Access and Use Conditions for all Seqwater sites, please log onto our website

Further information Check the Public Notices and Safety page on our website for the latest information on access, closures and conditions before you visit any of our recreational areas. Website www.seqwater.com.au Email [email protected]

Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide 15 16 Lake Wivehoe Recreation Guide